Filling-machine.



K. KIEFER.

FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21,.1912.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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FlLLlN'G MACHINE. APPuc'mpu mm nov. 21. m2.

Patented July 6, 1915.

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KARL KEFER, 0F CINCENNATI, OHIO.

FILLING-MACHINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July d, 1915.

Application filed November 21, 1912. Serial No. 732,639.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KARL KIEFER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Filling-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to filling apparatus, and its object is to fill bottles with liquid to uniform height without dropping or spilling of liquid, or breakage of bottles, with a minimum of attention and exertion required on the part of the operator. i

My invention consists in the parts, and in the details of construction and arrangement of parts, as will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure l is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention, the lower part of the machine being shown in sectional elevation. F 2 is a plan view of the machine. Fig. 3 is a front elevation, on an enlarged scale, of part of the machine, illustrating the overflow del ig. t is an enlarged horizontal sectional plan view of the bottle-top guides, the section being taken on the line m-w of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged front elevation of part or" the machine, showing the bottlefeeding device and the guide bars.

Filling tubes 1, in a transverse row, are mounted in a filling head 2 that has a transverse supply conduit or reservoir 3, from which the liquid is distributed to the tubes. This apparatus is of the type in which a single overflow is provided for all of the tubes. the overflow discharging into one of the bottles of the nest approaching transverse series. Thus, the filling head 2 is provided with a system of overflow passages l communicatingthrough said filling head with all of the filling tubes 1.

From one of the overflow passages in the filling head, the nipple 4 leads forward and sidewise, connecting, by means of a flexible tube A, with a nipples in a socket 49 This socket carries the overflow tube 3", which must enter the bottle of the approaching series, asabove mentioned. The socket t is fastened in a yoke 4:, which is rigidly secured to a slide 4 in a T-slot in an extension -l of the filling head. A binding screw -1 passes through the slide, up against the upper side of the T-slot, holding the parts stationary after adjustment.

To center the bottle top with respect to the overflow tube 4, a bell 4 is fixed on the lower part of a rod 4" that extends up parallel with the tube, througha tubular guide M 4 in the yoke 4, in which it can slide upward. A nut on the upper end of this rod e limits the downward movement of the bell with respect to the tube; and the bell has interior radial lugs 4 that engage loosely around the tube, guiding the bell in its movement upward thereon. Bottle-top guides, in transverse series, are also provided for the filling tubes 1, each bell being in two separate sections 5. Each section has forward and rearward ears or-.lugs 5, by which these sections are supported along on parallel transverse supporting bars 5". As is best seen in Fig; 4, all the left sections, are pinned to the forward bar, while all the right sections are pinned to the rearward bar. The bars are slidably mounted in yokes 5, which have binding screws 5 to hold them. stationary when adjusted.- With this provision, by moving the bars 5 in opposite directions, the two sections of each bottle-top guide may be drawn to together or separated to, adjust the'guide to bottle-tops of diil'erent diameters; and all of the guides will be adjusted simultaneously and'equally, el'decting a considerable saving of time and insuring more uniform adjustment as compared with a series of bottle-top guides separately adjusted. Each yoke 5 is fixed on the lower end of a hanger rod 5", and these rods extend up, with a forward compound bend, as'best seen in Fig. 1, to have pivotal connections with hanger arms 5% The hanger 'arms 5 are fixed to a transverse shaft 5 journaled in brackets 5, which embrace and are supported upon the tubular reservoir 3. This mounting maintains the bottle-top guides horizontal transversely of, the mace. They are guided vertically by guide rods 5, rigidly secured in the lower ends of the brackets 5 that have the bearings for the hanger arm shaft above. These guide rods extend down through rearwardly projected ears or lugs 5 on the yokes that support the bell bars, so that theyokes slide up and down loosely on these rods. Nuts on the too lower ends of the rods limit the downward movement of the bottle-top guides with re speet to thefilling head and tubes.

To limit the downward travel of the bottle top guides regardless of the turther llt) through the collar against the stud, to hold it stationary after adjustment up or down to compensate forbottles of diflerent heights on difi'erentjobs of filling. A rubber or other elastic cushion 5 surrounds the screw 5 and one of the bell bars 5" engages with this cushion. Thus, the bottle-top guide bracket 6, it is provided with a key 6.

bells stop after they have passed down over the bottle-tops farenough to center them, while the filling head passes farther down, inserting the tubes into the bottles to the required depth to secure the desired filling height. The hell on the overflow tube 4, previously described, is operated in a similar manner for the same purpose, but has no stop device. The conduit or reservoir tube 3, filling tubes 1, overflow device, and the bottle-top guiding device, are all carried on a bracket 6, which embraces the single vertical column 7. This bracket 6 comprises a rearward main part 6 and a forward part 6". It isthis forward part 6" that carries the extension 4, with its T-slot to receive the slide supporting the overflow tube and its bell. The two. parts of this bracket are bolted together around the tubular reservoir 3, holding it rigidly. The filling tubes 1 are mounted in the tube brackets 1", which also embrace the tubular reservoir 3 rigidly.

Those at the ends'of the tube are modified, one of them receiving a simple cover 1} for the end of the reservoir, and the other re-' ceiving a nipple 1, by means of which suitable inlet connection is made for supplying liquid to the machine. The column 7 is threaded from its upper end downward a considerable distance, and it is over this part of the column that the bracket'fi slides. A handwheel 8 runs on the threads below the bracket 6, supporting the bracket,while a counter-nut 8 runs on these threads above bottles, directly on the table of the machine,

instead of removing to a bench or table. It also permits of the practical use of but a single column to support or raise and lower the lling head with respect to the table, as has been alluded to. It is necessary that such a single column have the firmest guidance and support. Thus, the column 7 slides up and iaaaoee down in a hub 7 in the base 9, and in a hub 7 in the upper part of the pedestal or stand'9. This latter hub extends up into a central aperture in the table 10 to about the plane of the table top, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. Ample and widely separated bearings are thus provided for the column 7, in a heavy and rigid foundation. T o prevent turning of the column, a key 7 is provided in the bearing in the hub 7". Likewise, to prevent turnin of the column Both keys enter keyways in the column 7, and are fixed in their respective bearings. Below the lower bearing hub 7 in the base 9, a link bracket 7 is fixed to the lower part of the column 7, and a link 7 is pivoted to this bracket. Near its top, the pedestal or stand 9 has bearing brackets '7', and a transverse shaft 7 is journ'aled therein. A lever 7 is fixed on this shaft, and the upper end of the link 7 is pivoted to this lever, thus connecting it to the column 7. Also fixed on the shaft 7 is a handlever 7 When the handlever is pulled forward and downward, the lever' 7 passes downward, alines' with the link 7, and finally passes this alinement slightly, in which position it has lowered the column 7 to its extreme downward position and will, by having passed aline'ment, hold the column down, wlth the filling tubes I inserted in the bottles, and with the gaskets 1 around the tubes pressed tightly upon the bottle-tops, under the yielding pressure of the helical springs 1 around the tubes. The

overflow tube will have simply entered its respective bottle, without gasket connection therewith. To counterbalance the weight of the column and the parts attached to it, a counterweight 7 is mounted on a lever 7*,

pivotally mounted in hangers 7, which, in

turn, are pivotally connected to one of the ribs on the under side of the table 10. "The lever 7" has its end pivotally connected to the column 7, in a slot in the column. Thus,

with the springs around the fillingtubes. is

set forth in my co-pending application filed Oct. 19,1908, Serial No. 458,492, and the structure is claimed therein. The table 10 has on its upper side a smooth drain plate 10, with side strips 10 and a forward stri 10, closing the sides and the forward en but leaving the rear end open, so that the bottles may slide therefrom, onto a suitable receiving device, such as 'a belt convey er. This plate also hasa flange 10 around the column 7 where it passes through the table, preventing entrance of liquids and other substances into the bearing of the column in the hub 7, just below the drain plate. This drain plate may be made of a single smooth sheet of brass orbronze, allowing the free the filling tubes, parallel bars 11 and 12 are provided. The bars 11 engage with the left sides of the respective bottles, while the bars 12 engage with the right sides. This is best seen in Fig. 5. These bars 11 and 12 have upright supports 11 and 12, respectively,

'at their ends, at the front and rear ends of the table, and these uprights are fixed in cross-bars 11 and 12, respectively, the bar 12 being between the bar 11 and the adjacent end of the table, in each instance. The

bars 12 are shorter than the bars 11, and their uprights are lower than the uprights of the bars 11, in such degree that the bars 12 may pass under the bars 11. This allows an extension of the width of the passages between the bars of maximum degree, by bringing the bars 12 exactly under the bars 11. The connections between the bars 11 and 12 and their respective uprights are pivotal, so that adjustment may take place at either end of the machine separately, without straining the structure. Each pair of crossbars 11 and 12, at the respective ends or" the table, is carried on two lugs 13, integral with the table body 10, insuch position that the upper edges of the bars 11 and 12 lie even with or slightly-below the plane of the upper surface of the drain plate 10. At the rear end, where the bottles must pass from the machine, this construction permits of unobstructed passage. The bars are clamped stationary after adjustment by means of clamping screws 13 taking into the lugs13, with washers 13 that bear against the outer sides of the respective bars 11* and thus bind both bars 11 and 12* together against the adjacent. end of the table. are fed along the passages between the parallel bars, in procession with each bottle pushing the one next to it, from front to rear. As the diameters of different bottles, on different jobs, vary, the distance between the centers of the-bottles will vary. It is for this reason that the overflow tube 4 is made adjustable forwardly and rearwardly with respect'to the filling tubes 1. To push the procession of bottles along their passages, a push bar 14 lies transversely of the machine at the forward end. lt is of circular crosssection, covered by a jacket 14, of rubber or other elastic material, and is journaled in the links 14" at the sides of the machine, so that it may roll along the bars 11, on which it rests, as it is'brought u to the bottles which have been placed on t e table in front of it. Thelinks 14 are pivotedrto levers 14 and 14., at the sides, and these le- The bottles vers are fixed on a transverse shaft 14, journaled in hangers is on the lower side of the table 10. Thus, the two levers move in unison and maintain the push bar 1% at right angles to the paths of travel of the bottles, and parallel with the transverse series of filling tubes 1. The lever 14 extends up past its connection with its link lei", and has a handle 14. extending inward over the table, to avoid obstruction of the working of the lever 7, that raises and lowers the filling head, as before described. Also, this lever 14 has astop pin 14* near its mounting on the shaft 14 and a radial stop plate 1& is pivoted on the shaft 14 with an arcshaped slot 14, through which a binding screw 14" takes into the adjacent side of the table body 10, to hold the stop plate in adjusted position, as swung on the shaft li The plate has two lugs l t, with which the stop pin 1 t engages, limiting the forward and rearward movement of the lever, and consequently, of the push bar 14. Thus, the extent to which the push her may move toward the filling head may be limited so that when it has reached its extreme rearward position it has pushed a line of bottles into position where all the bottle-tops in the transverse series are approximately centered with their respective filling tubes. Then, as the push bar is pulled forward, and a new transverse series of bottles placed behind it, it will, on the next backward travel, push a new line of bottles under the filling tubes, and push the line last thereunder, which will have been filled, on past the filling tubes. The passage between the two middle bars 11 and 12 is left empty, being occupied by the column 7. I

From the foregoing description it is evident that the construction with a single supporting column for the filling head, in the middle of the structure, allows the greatest accessibility, and at the same time the greatest firmness and steadiness of operation, on account of the combination therewith of the heavy foundation construction of the machine. This, with the simple (and effective means of adjusting for bottles of difi'erent heights and diameters, with respect to the feed, the centering, and the overflow connection, relieves the operator of the greatest amount of required attention to the operation. while the manipulative mechanism, for feeding, and for raising and lowering the filling head, in each instance, eliminates all unnecessary friction and weight to be overcome, and minimizes the exertion required to operate the machine.

Having fully described my invention, what T claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. in a filling machine, a table. parallel guide bars extending lengthwise of said table, supports for the guide bars, said supports having their portions between said guide bars lying below the plane of the upper surface of said table, and means for adusting said supports transversely of the table.

2. In a filling machine, a table, separate sets of parallel guide bars extending lengthwise of said table, cross-bars at respective ends of the table, below the plane of said guide bars supporting the separate sets of guide bars, and means for adjusting said cross-bars transversely of the table to cause theguide bars of the respective sets to approach toward or recede from each other.

3. In a filling-machine, a table, separate .sets of Faral-lel guide bars extending lengthwise 0 the 'table, cross-bars at respective ends of the table, below the plane of the up per surface thereof, supporting the separate sets'of guide bars, and means for adjusting the crossbars transversely of the table to cause the guide bars of the respective sets to approach or recede from each other. 7

, 4. In afilling machine, a table, separate sets of parallel guide bars extending length- I wise of the table, cross-bars at respective ends of the table, supporting the separate sets of guide bars and adjustable transversely of the table to cause the guide bars ofthe respective sets to approach toward or recede from each other, said guide bars be ing pivotally connected to said cross bars.

5 In a filling machine, a table, separate sets of parallel guide bars extending lengthwise of the table, those of one set being shorter than and lying below those of the other set whereby they may pass under those I of said other set, and cross bars supporting the,separate sets in the aforesaid relative positions, at respective ends of said table, adjustable transversely of the table'to cause the guide bars of the respective sets to approach toward each other and the lower ones to pass under the others, or to recede from each other. I

6. In a filling machine, a table, separate sets of parallel guide bars extending lengthwise of the table, those of one set being shorter than those of the other set, cross bars at respective ends of the table, one of them, at each end of the table, lying between the other cross-bar and the adjacent end of the table, uprights'on the outer cross bars supporting the longer guide bars, and uprights on the inner cross bars, shorter than those on the outer'cross bars, supporting the shorter guide bars, whereby the shorter guide bars may pass under the longer ones, and means for adjusting said cross bars transversely of the table to cause the respective sets of guide bars to approach toward each other and the lower ones to pass under the upper ones, or to recede from each other,

said cross bars lyingbelow the plane of the.

maaoea upper surface of said table, and said uprights forming pivotal connection between said guide bars and their respective cross bars.

bar in uniform transverse relation to the table but move the feed bar lengthwise of the table, a stop pin on one of the levers, a stop plate having lugs before and behind said stop pin, said step plate being pivoted on said shaft, and having an arc-shaped slot, and a screw taking through said slot into the adjathe table, leversat respective sides of the table, with which said links have pivotal connection, and a shaft journaled on said table, on which said levers are fixed, whereby they move in unison and maintain said feed bar in uniform transverse relation to the table but move the feed bar lengthwise of the table, causingit to roll on said guide bars.

9. In a filling machine, filling tubes, arranged in a straight line, bottle-top guides for the respective tubes, each comprising two separate sections, and two bars extending parallel with the line of tubes, some of the sections of the guides being attached to one of the bars, and the other sections being attached to the other bar, supports for said bars but allowing them to slide separately, and clamping means for the bars on the supports, said bars flanking the line of the filling tubes, and the guides, mounted and made up as described, embracing their respective tubes.

10. In a filling machine, filling tubes, arranged in a straight line, bottle-top guides for the respective tubes, each comprising two separate sections, and two bars extending parallel with the line of tubes, some of the sections of the guides being attached to one of the bars, and the other sections being attached to the other bar, said bars flanking the line of filling tubes, and the guides, mounted and made up as described, embracing their respective tubes, yokes in which the bars are slidable lengthwise of the bars, clamping means for the bars in said yokes, supporting means for the filling tubes, movable up and down, guide rods on the supporting means, parts of said yokes engaging said rods wherezine-wee by the yokes may slide up anti clown thereon and be confined to movement in a straight line, hanger rods on which said yokes are fixed, hanger arms to which the hanger rods are pivotally connected, and a shaft journaled on the filling tube supporting means parallel With the line of filling tubes, on which shaft said hanger arms are fixed, to move in unison and maintain the bottle-top guifies horizontal along" the line of the filling tubes.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

KARL KIEFER. Witnesses:

CLARENCE Pnnnnw, MARY HARRINGTON. 

